What is a Fursuit?

If you're new to fursuits, you must be wondering. What is a fursuit? Well you've come to the right place!

A fursuit is a costume of an animal, any animal! That is generally based on an anthropomorphic animal. Meaning an animal with human characteristics. (Fursuits can sometimes be considered "feral" instead of anthro). Fursuits are a costume that people can wear to perform in, to represent a character they have created, to play a character from a show or movie, or just play as an animal. The styles are endless from toony to realistic.

Fursuits can be made with a wide variety of materials such as foams, resin, plastic, etc. They are always made with faux fur (which is fake fur!), no real fur is ever used on a fursuit. There is an incredibly wide variety of fur colors, and types.

Fursuits are custom made for wearers by professional makers or by themselves, or sometimes made and sold by makers. They can be of any animal, and any color! The options are endless!

There are many different types of fursuits which you can see illustrated below. Can fursuits be considered cosplay? Yes they can! As cosplay stands for Costume Play. People can also make fursuits of already existing characters. For example, Nick Wilde from Disney's Zootopia, or a Pokemon. But generally, fursuits are based on characters the wearer has made themselves, called a "fursona". You create your own character with your choice of species or color, then you can make, or can pay a professional to make you a costume to help bring that character to life! Some of the makers within the community also make fursuits that are designed by them and sell the fursuit, as well as the design so someone else can take that character, and bring it to life.

Types of Fursuits

Fullsuit-PlantigradeA plantigrade fullsuit is a full costume, without padding. This is when a fursuit does not have padding to modify a body shape, the bodysuit of the costume follows the wearers body shape more.Plantigrade bodysuits generally include:-Mask-Bodysuit (not padded)-Hand Paws-Tail-Feet Paws

The example to the right is Kuhori's main fursuit by OneFurAll. There is no padding inside his bodysuit and it instead follows his body shape.Sometimes, it is possible for plantigrade to have some minimal padding depending on character.

Kuhori made by OneFurAll Studios.
Owned by Kuhori Wolf

Fullsuit-DigitigradeA digitigrade fullsuit is a full costume, with padding. Digitigrade means an animal walking on it's toes. Padding is used to create the image of the wearer walking on it's toes, more like an animal. The padding helps give an animal shape to a human form. Generally digitigrade padding is on the thighs, calves, and rear. Along with some padding around the ankles, and specially built feet paws to better help the illusion.A digitigrade fullsuit generally includes:-Mask-Bodysuit with padding-Handpaws-Tail-Feet paws

The example to the right is Grave by Twinky Arts, Matrices, and Que's Costumes. There is padding inside the lower half of the bodysuit to give a more animal like shape, as well as bigger, rounder and more shaped feet paws.

Grave by Twinky Arts, Matrices, and Que's Costumes. Owned by Grave the Wolf.

HalfsuitA halfsuit is when only most of the body is covered in fur. This can go 2 ways. It can be all pieces but upper body, or all pieces but legs/lower body. Can have padded legs or not, depending on character and wearer.Generally, a half suit includes:-Mask-Hand Paws-Arm sleeves (Sometimes!)-Fur "pants" (Padded, or not.) or Fur "shirt")-Feet Paws-Tail

The example to the right is Motley owned by Greyscale. In this example, she is wearing a half suit with digitigrade fur "pants" and wearing a tshirt to cover what is not covered in fur.

Motley owned by Greyscale.

Full Partial​A full partial is a costume that covers your limbs! This way the wearer can still wear regular clothes but also has the option of shorts with the costume. Generally, these are not padded.Generally a full partial includes:-Mask-Arm sleeves-Hand paws-Tail-Leg Sleeves-Feet paws

The example to the right is Kuhori in his full partial option by OneFurAll Studios and himself. There is no padding in the sleeves. With the option of sleeves he can wear a short sleeved t-shirt, and shorts and still is a full costume.

Kuhori made by OneFurAll Studios. Leg sleeves made by Kuhori. Owned by Kuhori Wolf.

Partial FursuitPartials can be a wide variety of pieces. But in general, they are the basic pieces with the wearer still in clothes. Partials can include arm sleeves, or just hand paws. Some can also include feet paws, or no feet paws. Partial has a wide variety of definitions.Partials can generally include:-Mask-Hand Paws-Arm Sleeves (Sometimes!)-Tail-Feet paws (Sometimes!)

The example to the right is Nugget by AutumnFallings. He is a mask, hand paws and tail only. This is generally the least amount of pieces someone can wear (to be a completed costume). The wearer would have to wear a long sleeve shirt or hoodie, and long pants to cover the skin to complete the costume and illusion.

Nugget by AutumnFallings. Owned by Kuhori Wolf.

Styles of Fursuits

ToonyThis is generally the most popular style of fursuit. Toony is when a suit looks like a cartoon character. With exaggerated features and a more cartoon like shape. Toony can be any type of suit from fullsuit to simple partial.

The example to the right is Snoqualmie made by Fur Fancy Costumes and Matrices (with help from Que's Costumes). He has a very toony like face, expression, and features in the body including very large feet and a larger tail. The shapes in his face are much more exaggerated than an actual huskies face would be, giving him the cartoony look.

Snoqualmie by FurFancy Costumes and Matrices. Owned by Kuhori Wolf.

Super ToonySuper toony is when a toony suit is even more exaggerated. Things like ears, eyes, cheeks and more can be even bigger to give even more of a toony look to the costume. Most times the masks are also larger than most other styles to complete the look. This style can be in a wide variety of types from fullsuits to partials.

The example to the right is Siro in her suit by More Fur Less (maker popular for the super toony style). All the features of the head are very much exaggterated. Things like the nose, muzzle, eyes, ears, cheek smiles, and more are bigger. Things like hand paws and tails are also larger to complete the look.

Siro Shep made by More Fur Less, owned by Siro

Semi-RealisticSemi-realistic suits have a wide variety of styles. Generally, they are a mix of realistic and toony shapes and features. It can be any mix of both styles. This term is generally used when you cannot decide if a suit is realistic or toony.

The example to the right is Kuhori's main fursuit by OneFurAll Studios. This suit in particular has realistic fur colors, some shapes, and realistically painted eyes. Features like his ears and nose are also more realistic. But he also has toony aspects such as his muzzle shape, bigger smiley cheeks, and expression.

Kuhori by OneFurAll Studios. Owned by Kuhori Wolf.

RealisticRealistic is pretty self explanatory. It is when a costume looks like a real animal. With features like natural colored furs, smaller more realistic eyes, teeth, and other general features. Realistic is a popular, yet hard to capture style of fursuit.

The example to the right is Pike Saber by BeetleCat Originals, owned by Kuhori Wolf. This suit has more realistic features such as taxidermy eyes, completed jaw sets, more realistic shapes, and fur colors.The hand and feet paws also follow the realistic style.

Pike by Beetlecat Originals. Owned by Kuhori Wolf.

Is there a type or style we forgot to list? Let us know!

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